An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales, Volume 1 eBook

With a requisition made by Captain Phillip of a certain
quantity of flour and corn, the governor expressed
his apprehensions of being unable to comply, as the
Cape had been very lately visited by that worst of
scourges—­a famine, which had been most severely
felt by every family in the town, his own not excepted.
This was a calamity which the settlement had never
before experienced, and was to be ascribed rather to
bad management of, than any failure in, the late crops.
Measures were however taking to guard, as much as
human precaution could guard, against such a misfortune
in future; and magazines were erecting for the reception
of grain on the public account, which had never been
found necessary until fatal experience had suggested
them. Captain Phillip’s request was to be
laid before the Council, without whose concurrence
in such a business the governor could not act, and
an answer was promised with all convenient dispatch.
This answer, however, did not arrive until the 23rd,
when Captain Phillip was informed that every article
which he had demanded was ordered to be furnished.

November.] In the meantime the ships of the fleet
had struck their yards and topmasts (a precaution
always necessary here to guard against the violence
of the south-east wind, which had been often known
to drive ships out of the bay) and began filling their
water. On board of the Sirius and some
of the transports, the carpenters were employed in
fitting up stalls for the reception of the cattle that
was to be taken hence as stock for the intended colony
at New South Wales. These were not ready until
the 8th of the next month, November, on which day,
1 bull, 1 bull-calf, 7 cows, 1 stallion, 3 mares,
and 3 colts, together with as great a number of rams,
ewes, goats, boars, and breeding sows, as room could
be provided for, were embarked in the different ships,
the bulls and cows on board the Sirius, the
horses on board the Lady Penrhyn; the remainder
were put into the Fishbourn store-ship and Friendship
transport.

Shortly after our arrival in the bay, a soldier belonging
to the Swiss regiment of Muron, quartered here, swam
off from his post and came on board one of the transports,
requesting to be permitted to proceed in her to New
South Wales; but, as an agreement had been mutually
entered into between the Dutch and English commanders,
that deserters in the service of, or subjects of either
nation, should be given up, Captain Phillip sent him
on shore, previously obtaining a promise of his pardon
from the regiment.

On the 9th the watering of the fleet being completed,
corn and hay for the stock, and flour, wine, and spirits
for the settlement, being all on board, preparations
were made for putting to sea, and on the 10th the
signal was made to unmoor.

The convicts while in this port had been served, men
and women, with one pound and an half of soft bread
each per diem; a pound of fresh beef, or mutton,
and three quarters of a pound for each child, together
with a liberal allowance of vegetables.